For our discussion on Wednesday, read the following primary sources and be prepared
to discuss what they shows about middle class behavior, values, etc. during
the era in which they were produced.
1) A study of Chicago dance halls by the Juvenile Protective Association of
Chicago (1917). As part of the reformism of the progressive era, organizations
like the Juvenile Protective Association were usually associated with the middle
class. Dance halls were popular places for working-class young people to spend
their leisure time.
Click here for full text of the document.
2) Tips to Dancers a 1918 booklet by V. Persis Dewey (published in Kenosha,
Wisc.) giving advice to people attending dancing parties (in private homes or
public places).
Click here for table of contents. Read "The Value of Good Manners," "Getting Dressed for the Party," and "The Spirit of the Ballroom."
3) A sampling of World War II posters from the National Archives (1941-1945).
The first three.
Another three.
The final four.
Some things to think about:
What class do the authors of these documents belong to?
To what class(es) does the intended audience of these documents belong?
What sort of behavior (class-based behavior?) do the documents encourage and
what does that tell us about the middle class in America?